Grate-bar



(NoModel.) l E. W VNDUZEN.v

GRATE BAR.

, N0. 360,067. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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|| MXL-EFE UNTTE STATES PATENT Erica EZRA W. VANDUZEN, OF NEWIORT, KENTUCKY.

GRATE- BA R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettere Patent No. 360,067, dated March 29, 1887.

Application Bled July 17, 1886.

T 0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, EZR YV. VANDUZEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Newport, in the county of Gampbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grate- Bars, of which the following` is aspecitication.

The upper part of a grate-bar is heated toa much higher degree t-han the lower part, because of its more immediate contact with the iire. ln consequence of this unequal heating the upper part expands more than the lower part of the bar. This difference in longitudinal expansionY between the top and the bottom of the bar causes it to bow upwardly. This shape is not altogether lost when the bar is cooled, and after continued use the bar finally assumes a permanently-curved shape,in which the longer or convex side is uppermost. Besides interfering with the re, a bar so distorted burns out very quickly. In addition to the distortion in the vertical plane,the bar also expands laterally, and when one side expands more than the other the bar becomes permanently curved laterally,in the saine manner as the permanent bowing in the vertical direction was produced.' This lateral distortion produces a wide space between the bars, allowing the fuel to drop through, and also allowing the hot coal to come in contact with the sides of the bars, burning them out and aiding in warping them laterally.

To avoid these defectsin the construction of the bar and disadvantages arising therefrom is the object of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved grate-bar. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection taken at the line a@ zr, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is anenlarged view illustrating the manner in which the vertical slots in the bar are gradually closed by continuous use. Fig. 4 is a top view of a grate made with my bars, and illustrating two methods of arranging the bars. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofa smelting-furnace grate-bar constructed according to my invention.

The bar A is made ofsuitable depth throughout to support the weight put upon it. The

sides taper slightly from above downward7 as shown in Fig. 2. Each end of the baris formed in the customary manner, the bar for smelt- Serial No. 205227. (Xo model.)

ing-furnaces being provided at one end with the extension or handle B and at the other end with the end portion B', the bar for boiler and heating furnaces being provided at each end with the end portion B. These end portions B are also preferably provided with the side projections, e, separating the bars from one another. Ridges C C, placed atsuitable intervals along each side of the bar, also assist in keeping the grate-bars at a proper distance from each other. The extension-pieces B and the ends B in one case and the ends B in another case rest on supports in the grate.

The upper edge of the bar is provided with a number of transverse slots,D. It is essential to the successful working ofthe bar that these slots conform to certain rules: iirst, the slots should not be placed close together, the length of metal between adjacent slots being preferably from three to four times the width of a slot; second, the slots should be cut rather deep into the bar, so that they may extend entirely through that part of the bar which is subjected to the greatest heat; third, it is preferable to make the slots tapering, as shown in the drawings; but this point is not essential to a successful operation of the bar.

\Vheu the bar is in use, its upper part expands in the way lalready described for gratebars in general but in this ease the bar is not distorted, because the excess of longitudinal expansion of the upper part of the bar is accommodated by the slots D. I have discovered that the permanent expansion of the bar is confined to its upper one-third to one-half, and the slots D, extending preferably through about two-fifths of the whole depth of the bar, entirely compensate for the change in shape. Vhen the slots are placed too close together, the intervening metal parts become mere stilts projecting upward from the bar proper, and burn rapidly away, and soon let the iire down upon the lower portion of the bar, and consequently fail to protect that part of the bar from distortion. Vhen the slots are not sufriciently deep, they likewise fail to prevent distortion, because the metal immediately below them belonging to the part of the bar which should not be subject to permanent expansion being heated to a high degree produces a degree of distortion, in the manner already de scribed.

ICO

In my bar the expansion of the upper part ofthe bar is confined to and divided between i the sections E, which are between the slots D.

Each section E as it expands extends each end of its own section longitudinally, but does not buckle upward. The permanent expansion of the sections E gradually fills up the slots D, as shown in Fig. 3, Where the dotted lines indicate the outline of the slot after permanent eX-' pansion has occurred. The bars are sometimes made so thatin arranging the grate the slots D are opposite each other, as shown in Fig. 4, and again the bars are made so that when placed in position each slot D is opposite one ofthe sections E, also shown in Fig. 4. l

The advantages of a grate-bar possessing the properties of my bar as above set forth are quite obvious. Such a bar costs less than a bar not provided with slots, and its durability is much greater.

My grate-bar also admits nently-expansible portion of the bar, as and Y for the purposes set, forth.

EZRA W. VANDUZEN.

Witnesses:

O. M. HILL, E. M. HARMON. 

